Pilar Paez is a rising Senior at Baruch College in New York City.  Check out what she has to say about her 2022 Cybersecurity Internship at Matrix Applications:

What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I think what makes Matrix Applications so different from other employers is the culture. This was my first internship experience, so it was quite nerve wracking on my first day. In hindsight, I now know that I had nothing to worry about upon entering the office. Instantly, I felt very welcomed. The entire Infrastructure Team was open to teaching me about the different systems and processes within each environment. This may sound like a given, since that is the whole purpose of an internship. However, the Matrix Team wasn’t just willing. Instead, they wanted every single intern to really experience what working in this type of field feels like. This feeling only motivates me to continue to learn and grow from each and every experience.

Who did you work with? Tell us about your mentorship experience.
I worked with the Infrastructure Team, but I was guided primarily by Mohammad Ejaz, Chief Information Security Officer, and Dustin Fraser, Compliance Officer. They helped me learn about the importance and implementation of cybersecurity. It is difficult to translate the information you learn in the classroom to the real world without experience. This internship, along with the mentorship I received, definitely built that bridge for me. I came in looking for an authentic experience, and they most certainly showed me every side of the world of cybersecurity. I feel grateful for them, especially because they catered my internship experience to my career interests by allowing me to explore the different sides of the Infrastructure Team.

What was one of the most valuable projects you worked on?
I think the most rewarding project was my efforts towards logical access control and zero trust security. Before working at Matrix, I rarely thought about the importance of access management. When I learned first-hand about the standards that must be maintained for a company to better secure their systems, it made me realize its significance. I worked on developing a system that would comply with certain certifications, such as SOC 1, SOC 2 and ISO 27001. I believe seeing the future impact of my efforts is what makes my work at Matrix feel worthwhile, and I am happy to have gained this experience in the time that I have been here.

About Pilar Paez

Pilar Paez is an upcoming senior at Baruch College majoring in Computer Information Systems with emphases on Cybersecurity and Risk Management.

She is a part of the Infrastructure Team at Matrix Applications, focusing on IT compliance. Her previous experience includes working at the Help Desk at Baruch College.

Pilar Paez | LinkedIn